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The Diagnosis
Dr Infallible on the
current health of Bohemian FC
Outlook For The Season
Cynicism aside who can possibly predict how the season will go. A
more even handed take on things is that we will have more options in
more positions next season and might spring a surprise. It is by no
means beyond the possible. A fit Farrelly (I know that's asking a lot)
alongside Hunt in the middle still looks a formidable combination and
the likes of Joxer (assuming he starts acting his age) and Harkin on the
wings gives us a midfield capable of competing with any on the island. A
better organised and more disciplined defence than last season is vital
and who is to say it won't be? It will need to be sorted early, as to
what the preferred centre back partnership is going to be and whichever
combination is chosen will need to gel quickly. Right back need not be
the disaster it was for the first half of last season, assuming (Gaffer)
POTY Rice starts next season in the form in which he finished last
season, in other words, not bad, which brings us to, left-full.
It is the opinion of this column that Dessie Byrne should, at the
very earliest opportunity, be given, a decent, reasonable, even handed
and fair, head start to make his getaway from a screaming mob of
Bohemian loyals armed with sticks, pikes, muck-balls, air rifles,
feathers, pitch forks, sling shots, rotten tomatoes, cabbages, fetid
entrails and pea-shooters.
Which brings us back to left-full. Oh God what are we going to
do. Heresy it might be, but if we are being honest with ourselves we
must admit that it was a dark day for the club when Simon Webb walked
away. That's not getting anyone anywhere, I know, Simon is gone and
that's that, so what are our options? With Keddy now departed the
pickings are slim. It looks a straight toss-up between Byrne and Powell.
Based on slim but hopeful evidence I'd go for Powell. He seems to
deserve a chance, he seems to want a chance and he seems to have
ability. Given my phobia to hot headed no-marks I for one am prepared to
give youth a chance this time. Whether or not Gaffer feels the same is a
different matter entirely and I suppose the smart money will still be
placed on the former Dons wide boy.
Now that left full is all sorted out, or not, and midfield too,
we don't look in all that bad a shape. Up front presents the next
problem. Well, taking things from a slightly cybernetic point of view,
we at least already know what does not work, or more aptly who does not
work, Tony Grant! Which leaves us options, of which we cannot yet be
sure whether or not they will work. So we will have to give them a try.
A reasonable striking partnership to start off with, given what we have,
would be Arkins and Ward. Youth and experience and both physically able
to at least contest the ball in the air. One has a record for scoring in
the past and the other is pregnant (not in the Gaffer sense) with
potential for doing so in the near future. It's worth a shot, hopefully
it will be given a chance to blossom. Anything, anything not to have to
look at "No-Goals" chasing the ball into the corner in front of F&G and
getting caught offside ten times per match.
As Tony Blair might put it, the kaleidoscope has been shaken, the
pieces are in flux, when they settle lets take the opportunity to
rearrange our attitude to players. What is intended by that remark you
might ask? Well, simply, to give our new signings our fullest support.
Initial indications from some Bohs fans suggest some of these new
signings will not be welcome in Dalymount and will not be made feel
welcome, will in-fact be made feel profoundly unwelcome. Apparently this
has been provoked by these players annoying the living daylights out of,
some, Bohs fans, while with their previous clubs. Well and good but we
don't have the luxury of falling out with our players before they have
even kicked a ball for Bohemians. Do the decent and the Bohemian thing,
pack such hatred away until they have earned it with their performances
or lack of performances for Bohs, then hate them as much as you like.
Gaffer's Swansong Season?
One prediction you can be completely sure of is, should we fail
to reverse a steady decline from over the last couple of seasons, we
will be looking for a change of Gaffer before the next season begins.
This is Gaffer's last throw of the dice, at the moment he is set to be
remembered as Bohemians least successful manager of the modern era. As
things stand that is where he is. He can help his cause by making sure
that Farrelly the player shows up for work fighting fit as on his day he
is a formidable operator on the pitch. The team that takes the park next
season will be almost entirely his, every member of the senior squad,
with the exception of "No-Goals" is by now either a Gaffer signing or
has been re-signed by Gaffer.
Neither of Gaffers two finishes have been disastrously bad but on
neither occasion has he got us over the line for anything and despite
slightly diminished resources, that is a pretty poor return for a club
like Bohemians over two seasons. Many of us wondered why Gaffer was
chosen as manager at the particular point the job became available.
There were still things to be played for that season, Gaffer was very
young, had no qualifications or experience as either manager or coach so
a short term contract to an EL stalwart type figure, to take us to the
end of that season not only looks like the correct decision in hindsight
but, quite frankly looked like the most pragmatic thing to do at the
time too. Yes we were told Gaffer had amazing contacts for players in
England, yes we were told he had amazing contacts too for arranging
glamorous and lucrative friendlies. Yes there were plenty of us still
left wondering what any of that had to do with getting us over the line
for something that first season, yet even the most pessimistic among us
expected that these contacts would eventually be tapped for quality
signings and we would have had a decent friendly or two under out belts
too. A year and a half later and not one lucrative friendly and the
jinxed Cooney aside little in the way of signings from across the water.
So the Gaffer's mooted unique selling points, signings & friendlies,
turns out to be pure vapour while his obvious disadvantages, no
experience & no qualifications, has proven all too evident, to-date.
Translated: all the expected disadvantages manifested as predicted while
the promised unique advantages have proven nothing more than bluster and
hype.
The fact is that Gaffer is learning on the job. Equally he can
say in his defence and any reasonable person would have to grant him
this much, that it was obviously the case when he was appointed and what
more did we expect? Well plenty of us did not expect much more, so with
a year and a half's experience now garnered there is little point in
getting rid of him at this stage, although there are plenty of us who
would be a lot happier if it could be confirmed that Gaffer has used
this time to get a couple of qualifications under his belt. Apart from
improving him as a manager it would do a lot to settle those people who
have expressed doubts about Gaffer's commitment. Certainly if this time
has not been utilised to technical advantage then serious question marks
about Gaffer's seriousness about and towards his job at Bohs and towards
his future career, will loom very large in the minds of very many.
The friendliest word of advice that Gaffer can take on board is
to ignore anyone who tells him there is no pressure. There is pressure,
the absolute minimum requirement, this season, is Setanta Cup
qualification. That is what he should have already achieved last season,
next season is Gaffers last chance. He might not be fond of setting
targets, but the Gaffer should know that target, it exists, whether
stated or not, it exists. If Gaffer does not make the Setanta Cup he can
pack his bags and turn in that mobile phone. The big book of contacts he
can bring with him though.
Finally, here's hoping for a half decent preseason with some
testing fixtures, ideally a couple at Dalymount so we can go and spend a
few bob in the club and get a good look at our new recruits. Best of
luck to them and best of luck to Gaffer too.
Dr Infallible
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